I've been hiking quite a bit on the front range the past couple of months and it was time to get back in the high country, for the San Gabriels, that is. I hadn't been out towards Ontario in a couple of years so decided to head there on a spur of a moment. My hiking sensibilities have moved into spur of the moment types of choices. I know most of the trails and many of the xcountry routes so I typically make choices as I feel fit. This leaves me with a long list to leave for the wife of where I have gone but so be it.
I had a very late start due to morning commitments and didn't hit the trail until 12. I have hiked IHC more times then I can count but I always know that after every winter there will be changes, even on a trail as used as often as this. Sure enough one section of the trail along the creek had eroded so you had to walk next to the creek and another section had a tree uprooted and a large rock had fallen. The changes from one year to the next always surprise me on some level and give me a fresh perspective of the area and the ever changing environment around us. I hit the saddle in 1:25, five minutes slower then usual which was a bit purposeful.
Finally I was going to leave the hordes behind and started up through the manzanita to Bighorn. First I hiked up the middle and then moved towards the east to avoid the brush. I made good time and was on the top of Bighorn within my second hour of hiking. The register is completely full and a new one is needed up there. I forgot how well groomed the use trail coming from Ontario was and met two hikers coming the "long" way who looked a bit nackered.
Connecting back to the ridge I was surprised how many people were coming back from Ontario, this was a busy Sunday! Fortunately it was already heading towards 3 and I had the peak to myself and lo and behold even a register, a first for me on this peak. The views were a bit hazy with the cloud cover already coming back in towards Baldy.
I headed down Falling Rock ridge which apparently is getting quite the reputation unfortunately. I first went down the canyon about six years ago and there was no trace of others. Now the ridge has been ducked to death. I am ambivalent about ducking but always try to give people the benefit of the doubt so I don't behave like the haters and knock them down. The ducks were quite helpful in getting through the "rock garden" a level area just above the first climb from the Sugarloaf saddle. I surprised a large buck who bounded away down the canyon around this point, I always get a kick out of those chance encounters.
It was time to head up to Sugarloaf which is a hop from the saddle and saw Rick Kent's signature from the day before and his 15 peak goal. I tried to count out the 15 and failed, Gobbler's Knob really?! By now I was four hours into the hike and the sun was starting to leave shadows which is the most enchanting time to hike as you get perspective and relief of your surroundings.
The scree slope for me was a failure since I didn't go far enough over to stick to the sandy sections. I ended up in the main ravine with the large rocks about halfway down. Oh well one time I'll learn. I picked my way down slowly through the canyon which I have a healthy respect for. My goal on this hike was to find the bypass for the waterfall which I had never seen and had always downclimbed. Sure enough damn it if there wasn't a duck on the right side of the canyon that finally showed me where the bypass was, the hike was offically a success! From there its a matter of 10-15 minutes back to the trailhead after a splashdown in the creek to cool off. The whole hike was about 6 hours at a nice brisk pace, mileage was blah blah and so was the gain.
Bighorn, Ontario, and Sugarloaf (6/12)
I guess many folks got a late start. I was on Bighorn and Ontario 6/12 as well and had Bighorn to myself. I had Ontario to myself for a few minutes before a trail runner joined me. Above ICS I only saw 5 or 10 folks and most were going up while I was on my descent. I started around 0630 and finished aroun 1400.
You know, this is all I usually keep track of anymore...
time: I'm late for lunch
mileage: blah, blah, my feet hurt no matter how far
elevation gain: meh, my knees hurt no matter how much
Nice TR
